Target
by J. D. Roxburgh
Summary: When Agent Jane Rizzoli is captured it changes her whole life, she spends months tracking the monster who held her hostage, but what happens when she is faced with a split second decision and she sees someone else in the crosshairs? Can she take the shot? AU Rizzoli and Isles fanfic requested by a twitter follower of mine. Chapter 8 now up!
1. Chapter 1

"Rizzoli, take the shot."

Jane frowned at the voice in her ear. It wasn't that simple. She sighed inwardly, though it should have been that simple. She squinted down the scope once again and huffed. "Move." Her order was directed at the honey blonde beauty currently standing between her crosshairs and her target.

"Repeat, take the damned shot Rizzoli!"

"Negative, target is blocked by a civilian." The brunette felt time slipping away from her and her heart began to beat a little harder. It had taken her 9 months to get to where she stood now, in prime position with nothing left standing in her way...well almost nothing.

Her Ma's words echoed in her ears; "9 months Janie! And for what? You could have had a baby in that time and what have you got? Nothing but painful memories and even more painful reminders."

Jane ran the scar on the palm of her hand, not carefully placed on the trigger, down the length of her weapon. It had been a long time coming, but her time was finally here...his time had come. She ground her teeth together and focused down her scope again. Damn that woman was beautiful, even in the middle of some crosshairs she looked flawless. Jane felt a pinch of envy along with another feeling she pushed down inside of her. Not this one Rizzoli, she reprimanded herself, she's nothing but an obstacle. But even as she told herself that she felt the lie burn like indigestion in her chest. 9 months was a long time, her Ma was right, long enough to have a baby, long enough to stake out your greatest enemy and plot his demise...long enough to watch his wife and find yourself falling-

"Rizzoli!"

Thankfully the irate voice in her ear stopped her from finishing that treacherous thought. He is just another target, she is just collateral damage. But even as she tried to convince herself she felt her stomach sink and roll over making her nauseous.

"Rizzoli this is an order. Take the shot."

Time slowed down almost to a grinding halt as she sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly. Target. She had to concentrate on the target and nothing more. Clear your mind. As her eyes flew open they had taken on a coldness, a hardness and she settled her gaze down that scope one final time. She flexed her index finger and curled it once again gently resting it on the trigger that old touch was as familiar as any other to her, this and her Sig had been the closest things to friends she had had in a long time. That thought brought a distant ache to her scars which she briskly shrugged off and focused her gaze.

A slight breeze across the back of the brunette's neck whistled past gently and in that almost still moment it seemed the world was put to rights and she was in her place in it. As she began to squeeze the trigger with a little more pressure the world stopped completely as hazel eyes flicked in her direction and stole her breath away. Frozen by those indescribably beautiful eyes she watched in horror as time quickened and the world span upside down as her chocolate eyes met those others through the crosshairs.

She swallowed thickly and caught her breath before letting it all out in a loud curse. They were gone.

"Rizzoli? Rizzoli?!"

The voice was on repeat as she stared stunned down the scope at the empty crosshairs but all she could hear was her own heartbeat in her ears.

"Rizzoli? Are you there? Come in Rizzoli! What happened?"

The voice drifted back into her ear and she licked her dry mouth in shock, she wished she had an answer to that question but she didn't. She had to fix it, she couldn't lose him, not now. That thought spurred her into action and she burst out of the grotty apartment, flew down the stairs into the road and span 360 degrees to see nothing but startled civilians. She looked down to see her Sig clasped in her grasp and poised in front of her like countless times before without a conscious thought of it.

They were gone.

The thought was too much to bear and she could feel the lump in the throat growing, threatening tears that she held back with gritted teeth.

"Rizzoli? Jane?!"

Her names faded from the present and propelled her backwards through time. A dark haze came down in front of her eyes and clouded her vision. Her view was distorted, almost gritty like she had sand in her eyes and no matter how many times she blinked it couldn't clear the mist.

_"Hello Janie."_

_The once comforting nickname her Ma insisted on using had taunted her through many a teenage year and though she rebelled against it secretly it still made her smile on the inside when her Ma used it, it somehow made her feel safe. This time, however the pet name did everything but, the sinister voice that used it sneered at her with a deadly leering smile that amplified all the pain her body was already screaming from. Her heartbeat grew even stronger and she closed her eyes to his face and tried to calm herself down; with every beat of her heart her hands would pump out more dark thick blood sapping the life from her._

_"Look at me Janie." _

_Always there was a commanding tone to his voice and she knew all too well what happened if you did not comply. She forced open her painful eyes and clenched her jaw in a desperate effort not to show him the emotion she was feeling, she could not let him have that satisfaction but even as she fought against how she felt she struggled to remove the images racing through her head of his previous victims._

_He smiled at her and she felt bile rising up the back of her throat before a sound stole both of their attention. She opened her mouth to scream but he was faster and had his hand clamped down over her mouth before she could even draw breath._

_"Rizzoli? Jane?"_

_Her eyes widened in terror as she recognised the voice; Korsak. Her partner had found her, but that thought offered her no comfort as duct tape was fastened over her mouth and her captor vanished into the shadows with a vicious grin._

She shook her head and banished the ghostly memories away and startled as she saw road flying in front of her. She had no recollection of getting into her car, she had no idea where she was headed and worst of all she had no idea where her target had gone.


	2. Chapter 2

"You can't take me off this, I am the whole reason this task force even exists!" Jane's chocolate eyes were burning with rage. "No one knows him like I do! No one!"

Cavanaugh watched the brunette pace his office like a caged animal and he shook his head helplessly "Janie come on, you let him go, how was I supposed to defend that?"

"I didn't let him go! I didn't have a clear shot!" She clenched her fists together and she analysed his expression; it was futile to argue. "And don't call me Janie!"

"Look it's not just me, I have my orders too." He looked at her sympathetically and she hated it. "No one else will be able to find him Cav, no one. Tell them they're making a mistake!" Her tone had taken on an edge of pleading but she couldn't help herself, the job was all she had.

"Look Jani-Rizzoli, they think, they think you might have been compromised."

She stared at her boss incredulously. "Compromised? They think that I would side with the man who did this to me?" She held up both of her hands, presenting her scars to him with tears in her eyes.

"You were with him for a while before we reached you Janie, they think he might have gotten to you, they need to talk to you."

And like magic there was a knock at his office door and Jane felt her whole body drain of energy. "Stockholm syndrome? They think I have fallen for the man who kept me hostage by literally pinning me to the ground? And they want to interrogate me?! They want to psycho-analyse me?! This is seriously fucked up." The last statement was more to herself as she resigned herself to her fate. The country she had spent her life protecting, the agency she had laid her life down for, spent the best years of her life with were treating her like a suspect. What had been the point of it all?

In that moment she was transported back to that basement floor, blood pouring out of her fresh wounds and pooling around her head. I want to die. Let me die. Those were the first time those words had ever entered her mind, no mission, no perp had ever come so close to destroying her except him. And now those she trusted, the people she had obeyed without question and followed blindly had now turned on her.

As she sat hooked up to lie detectors and staring into cameras or different people's eyes all she could see were her hazel eyes. It was like she was taunting her and even when the tactics stepped up a notch and she tasted blood in her mouth still all she could see was that face and the way she looked at her, as if she could see her, as if she could see her inner most thoughts and feelings.

After what felt like days in that tiny confined room with nothing but strange agents watching her, judging her, accusing her of things that even in her worst nightmares could never have entered her mind, she was 'free to leave'. She scoffed at the phrase as she stumbled to the bathroom and spat out a glob of bloody phlegm and hissed as she felt a tooth wobble with it. She stared at her reflection in the mirror above the basin and grimaced as she did not see her own chocolate eyes but those damned hazel ones.

"Fuck!" she slammed her fist into the wall next to the mirror, splintering plaster and paint and cursing at the pain that shot up her arm but ceased to travel to where she really needed it, she wanted to be numb, she wanted to stop her brain and her heart from thinking and feeling, she didn't want to see those eyes ever again.

Suspended pending investigation. The words circled her mind and made her dizzy, she held onto the basin heavily her mind reeling. She had nothing, her badge, her Sig, both gone, they made her who she was, they were the only friends she had now. _Korsak_. His smiling face drifted into her mind and she felt the tears on her cheeks before she realised they were coming.

_Korsak came down the stairs to the basement gun poised, swinging it around the room until he was satisfied they were the only two in there. He raced over to her and holstered his gun. Her eyes widened and she shook her head rapidly, her warnings muffled by the tape secured across her mouth._

_"It's ok Janie, I got you." _

_His smile warmed her heart before an icicle was stabbed straight through it by the terrible sight in front of her eyes. As he gently peeled back the tape she was only able to scream one word. "Korsak!"_

The memory of her bloodcurdling scream of his name reduced her to heavy sobs that sank her to the floor. She didn't think there would ever be a day when she didn't wake up with guilt and regret haunting her every move, her every waking moment plagued by what could have happened if she had screamed something else.

And now it was all for nothing. She had let him go. And she had no idea of how to find him and stop him now that he was gone. He had the money to disappear entirely, he had the connections to go where she could not follow. Even as an agent he could escape her, now she wasn't even an agent…she was nothing. Once again he had managed to reduce her to a sobbing pile of nothing on the floor.

She didn't know how long she sat there nor if anyone else came into the bathroom, she didn't care. But the longer she sat there the more despair was replaced by something else, something stronger, something that had become a best friend to her over the months, something that made her get up off the floor and walk out with a determination like she had never known before;

Anger. White hot anger coursed through her veins and brought about a change in her like a shot of adrenaline to the heart. And for the first time today even though she could still see those hazel eyes, she did not mind, for they were the focus of the rage she felt inside.

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><p>Find me on social media - jdroxburgh. My debut novel 'Feral' is out now!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Maura Isles.

Jane stared at surveillance photos, profiles, reports and files that were not only spread across her sofa but also all over the floor. She sat in the middle of them, cross legged with empty beer bottles scattered around like fallen leaves in autumn. It was all information she had collated and made copies of for her to study in her own time.

Her Ma called it an obsession; "Nothing good will come out of this Janie, you have to let it go. You have to let him go." To which Jane had slammed the door in her mother's face and didn't open it again for about a couple of weeks.

She couldn't just 'let him go', she couldn't let Korsak's death be for nothing, she couldn't let his life be for nothing. When the first case had been passed to them he supported her wholly, without question. He didn't reprimand her for getting too involved, he didn't question her gut instincts, and he always, always had her back.

She knew that he wouldn't have wanted her to sit and mourn him, and she hadn't, she had gone back to work as soon as her wounds had healed, she had fought with everyone to get reinstated and had passed her fitness and mental tests with flying colours – she would let nothing stand in the way of her getting back to work, back to him.

And shook her head and downed another beer. So how had she ended up here? To let a woman stop her from getting him. To let her literally stand in the way of her vengeance, her purpose in life. She glared at a photograph of her. If she was going to find them without the agency then Maura Isles was the key.

Wealthy family, parents abroad, schooled privately, spent a lot of time in France, where her mother resided currently, studied in Boston at university, science minded, everyone expected her to go to medical school but then her life seemed to stop and turn on its head. A marriage out of the blue, and then nothing, she didn't work, she didn't go out much, she became a hermit wife. Jane laughed at her analogy and then frowned at the beer bottle in surprise, maybe she had had enough. Jane decided to start at the beginning – the marriage.

The more she delved the more confused she became, there seemed to be nothing linking her to this monster before their marriage, no family ties, no money connections, he only came into the money after marrying her – she could see his reasoning but Maura Isles was a puzzle.

Jane sat back and closed her eyes, she could vividly remember the first time she saw Maura Isles;

_Jane was working undercover, she was dressed like a hooker and working the streets, talking to the girls in surrounding neighbourhoods to where reported sightings had been whispered. She was freezing, it was a bitter winter's day and she was wearing next to nothing, she dipped into a coffee shop only to despair at the stares of disgust. She dug around for her money when a hand reached out in front of her and paid for her coffee. Jane looked up at the woman outraged and was about to give her a barrage of abuse about judging people when the words just did not come and she ended up standing there with her mouth hanging open. The woman was beautiful, more than beautiful, she was indescribable and even after the woman had paid for her own coffee too, ordered her coffee and left Jane was still stood there in a numbed state of shock._

_She left the coffee shop and watched the woman walking a little way down the street and Jane was utterly transfixed by her, the sway of her hips was hypnotising and as she stopped by a vehicle and the driver opened the door for her Jane gulped as hazel eyes met her own chocolate ones before climbing into the car and driving off leaving Jane feeling bewildered._

_She spent most of the day and night out there, blindly chasing whispers and shadows to no avail. When her new partner picked her up with a possible other lead Jane's rational mind left her and she asked him to follow it up alone whilst she went back the next day. She had no lead, she had no idea what she was doing, but seeing that woman again was enough to make her go back the next day and freeze yet again._

_She spent all day hanging around the coffee shop, much to the displeasure of the owner, but she didn't see her again and Jane couldn't understand quite how she was so upset by it. She shook her head and reprimanded herself for letting herself become distracted from her task. She gave up on the mysterious woman and met with her new partner._

_They sat in the car as he recalled the information his informant had given him and he passed her some surveillance photos. Jane flicked through them disinterested until that stunning face stared back at her in black and white and the brunette felt her throat go dry and her heart begin to hammer. She flicked to the next photo and that same heart stopped beating completely. Her and him…together. She stared at her new partner in horror as he regaled her with news of their marriage._

Jane opened her eyes to the mess in front of her and sighed heavily, that was the beginning to a slippery slope, one she wished she could backpedal from now. Jane steeled herself to those beguiling eyes and began looking for again, for what she wasn't sure, but she would know it when she saw it.

Suddenly there it was; the connection – Boston University School of Medicine. Jane grabbed her jacket and bolted out of the door when a face stopped her in her tracks.

"Hello Janie."

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><p>Find me on social media - jdroxburgh. My debut novel 'Feral' is out now!<p>

Bear with me what with trying to promote the novel, work my job and going to Berlin next week life is a bit chaotic - this is as far as i have thus far - i know it's not much but I promise I will work on it as much as poss and get it finished asap for you all :)


	4. Chapter 4

_**Thank you for all the support - FYI Berlin is amazing, if you haven't been you should :)**_

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><p>Jane stared at her unexpected visitor and said precisely nothing.<p>

"That's a nice way to greet me Janie." There was an edge to the tone of voice, not quite jovial, not quite filled with anger; an unhappy medium between the two.

Jane's gaze dipped to the floor sweeping past hands on hips and she felt that old familiar nagging in her chest, yet at the same time the famous Rizzoli rage bubbling up in her gut. She didn't need this, she didn't want this. She huffed in hopeless defiance before forcing her eyes up to meet that fixed stare. "Hi Ma, sorry Ma."

It had become the customary way her daughter greeted her nowadays. Hi Ma, sorry I'm late Ma. Hi Ma, sorry I missed dinner Ma. Hi Ma, sorry I didn't tell you what happened Ma. Hi Ma, I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was going back to work Ma. Hi Ma, I'm sorry but I have to do this Ma. The latter would probably haunt Angela for the rest of her life_. I should have stopped her_. She knew that she wasn't responsible, of course she couldn't know what was going to happen but as she looked at the dark grey circles around Jane's dull eyes Angela felt a stab of guilt for letting her go back so soon, and to go back to what consumed her and almost claimed her life.

Jane sighed as she watched her Ma perform a sweeping gaze of her and saw the older woman's body sag and her eyes well up. She didn't want to bring this upon her family but she couldn't just walk away either. Jane opened her mouth not knowing what to say to make this better but her Ma simply pushed past her and began the maternal clucking that Jane was so used to.

Angela Rizzoli was a pro at what she did; she looked after people. She pushed her own issues to one side, along with the stifling guilt and she cleaned, she tidied, she made a home. She was an expert at clearing around and not taking in the grisly gruesome photographs that often scattered the younger brunette's apartment. What Janie did was her job, it was not her life and Angela often fought until she was blue in the face about that very fact but no matter how much Jane tried to ignore she would not give in and allow her daughter to be taken by all these horrors.

Jane sighed and looked up at the heavens knowing full well that not even a god could help her now. Her Ma was fussing around her sty of an apartment, tutting and muttering to herself in that incomprehensible mother's language as she swept through the place like Mary Poppins. Jane watched with pride as her Ma picked up her files and evidence, cleaned underneath and placed them carefully back as if they had never been disturbed. Jane chuckled to herself, it must have been a skill she acquired when Angela used to let herself in using a spare key that just so happened to end up in her Ma's possession and Jane would come home to find an apartment where absolutely nothing looked as if it had been touched and yet everywhere around things and under things was magically clean. Jane smirked as she remembered 'finding' her spare key in her Ma's bag and the see through flimsy act she tried to give her. Jane took that privilege away as soon as she could; too many unexpected early morning wake up calls when she had been working through the night.

Angela stopped and watched her daughter play back happier memories and smiled sadly herself as a shadow of a former stunning smile ghosted across Jane's face before giving way to that stranger's gaunt and broken face that did not belong to the girl with unruly hair who got into more scuffs at school than both of her brothers put together. She sighed heavily herself and fought against her maternal instinct to rush over and gather her up in a bear hug, knowing full well that Jane would squirm away from the embrace just as she always had.

Jane plonked herself on her couch defeatedly knowing that there was no getting rid of her Ma before the place was spotless and the brunette didn't have the energy to fight a pointless fight.

"Who is that?" Angela peered over her daughter's shoulder at a photograph of an attractive woman with perfectly quaffed honey blonde hair and eyes that seemed to jump out as if someone were looking through cut outs straight at her.

Jane jumped at the sound of the voice so close behind her and startled at what she was doing, she had no recollection of picking the photograph up and had no idea why she was just gazing at her...well she did but again she pushed all thoughts of that as far away as she could and she forced her hand to casually toss the photograph away before briskly getting up and stalking toward the door, her mood now irked by her own subconscious.

Angela watched as Jane stormed off toward the door and held it open as a not so polite request to leave. She turned her back on her daughter and fussed with her bag whilst sneaking the photograph into her bag, she couldn't explain why she did it but before she had a conscious thought about it was already in her bag. As she drove back to her own house her mind raced, this woman had the potential to turn Janie's life around, Angela wasn't sure who she was nor what her relationship with Jane was but her daughter's reaction was enough to tell her she was important and Angela needed help to bring her daughter back from out of the shadows into the living world.

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><p><em><strong>Slightly shorter than I would have liked, sorry, but the next is on its way.<strong>_

_**Find me on social media - jdroxburgh or J. D. Roxburgh. **_

_**My debut novel 'Feral' is out now, available on Kindle, iTunes, Kobo and more!**_


	5. Chapter 5

Angela was busy emptying her bag in her local butchers store trying to find her purse in amongst all the other random items she stored in there. Jane would always moan at her that she carried everything but the kitchen sink and that was only because it was too heavy for her to carry around with her. Item after item was placed on top of the glass full of beautiful fresh glistening meat and Angela blushed at the man standing behind the counter, who was watching her with a kind smile. "Sorry, Carlo, it's got to be here somewhere…"

"Don't you worry Mrs Rizzoli."

"Angela, please." She muttered as she scrambled around frantically.

"Angela."

His already gravelly tone of voice dipped even lower, his gaze lingered a little longer than usual and Angela found herself growing even more flustered by the second. She began feverishly pulling things out of her bag, wanting to get out of there whilst simultaneously secretly enjoying the attention.

"How is that beautiful girl of yours?"

"Janie? She's…ok." Angela noted the concern in his eyes and she sighed, she so wanted someone to pour her heart out to but she steeled herself, Jane wouldn't have appreciated that. "And Giovanni? I haven't seen him for a while now."

At the mention of his son the man beamed pearly white teeth at her and pushed out his chest with pride. "Ah Giovanni, my boy! He is well, he is coming home this week! He should take your Janie out, I will tell him."

Angela's smile faltered a little as she remembered her daughter's tirade when she had suggested that last year, luckily she found her purse before she had to give an answer and she diverted his attention away from the conversation quickly. She paid for the meat and chatted happily about how the whole family were coming for dinner on Sunday. It had been such a long time she had had all of her children together around the dinner table. It had been a long time since they felt like a normal family, so much had happened. She was busy packing her pile of belongings away that she barely heard the conversation Carlo was having until she looked back up to see that strange woman's face in front of her.

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><p>Jane drove in a stupor, she felt numb and yet burning with a million different emotions. As she sped toward the medical school her mind raced ahead of her. She was so caught up in thoughts of him that she almost crashed into the side of another car, a blaring horn was the only thing that brought her back from the brink. She pulled over to the side of road, heart hammering in her chest after the close call. She opened her window and closed her eyes to the cool breeze filtering in. she had finally begun to relax and feel human again when the sound of her car door opening had her reaching for her gun only to grasp at the air and feel her heart be gripped by fear as she realised it was not there. She was frozen on the spot not daring to look at the person next to her. She heard the breathing low and rasping and she could almost feel his fingers running through her hair sending chills down her spine in the least pleasant way. His putrid breath ghosting over her face as he leered down at her and smiled. The scars on her hands began to throb as did her heart, now pumping adrenaline around her body at warp speed, everything slowed down and she couldn't distinguish the sounds she could hear. She felt a touch on her shoulder and she lashed out in a frenzy, hitting anything and everything she could to get this monster away from her. Vice like grips clamped down on her wrists and restrained her until she could move no more and she sobbed helplessly until time slowed again and sounds began to filter back through her ears.<p>

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><p>Angela blinked at the larger than life beautiful eyes in front of her and stammered as she realised she hadn't listened to a word that had been uttered "Pardon?"<p>

"I said, who is this?" Carlo frowned at the brunette who looked stunned by the photograph she had just taken out of her own bag.

"Oh…um…" Angela fumbled for the right words. "A friend of Janie's." The truth was she had no idea but if she said that she would look very odd carrying around a picture of a stranger.

Carlo smiled as he looked at the photograph again "She's beautiful." Angela made a non-committal noise and reached for the photo. "Not as beautiful as you or your Janie of course." He winked at her playfully and let out a loud belly laugh.

Angela took the photo back and wondered how she would get it back into Jane's apartment without her seeing or noticing. As she put it back into her bag she rolled her eyes at the man who was muttering to himself about introducing her to his son Giovanni as she made her way out of the store waving goodbye.

"They would make a good match, such good looking people! Think of the babies!" He laughed again before waving at Angela. "I will invite her to dinner next time." He began cleaning down the side whilst whistling a song Angela could not recognise.

She stepped outside as a thought struck her and she poked her head back in "Carlo? What do you mean next time?"

Carlo grinned at her happily "I've seen her before, she comes by here almost every Sunday, I think she goes to a church near here. A church girl, just perfect for my Gio!"

Angela watched as Carlo went back into his daydream and thoughts began racing around her mind. _If this woman knows my Janie, maybe she knows what's going on with her, maybe we can both help her._ Angela quickly shook her head and scolded herself for poking her nose in, Jane would be very angry. She got into her car and drove away trying to clear the idea of her mind but as she travelled a short distance down the road she saw a church and it sprang the idea back into her mind, perhaps just a little chat wouldn't hurt, she wouldn't' even have to reveal she was Jane's mother…just find out if she could help Janie, that's all. There was nothing harmful about that…

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><p><em><strong>Find me on social media - jdroxburgh or J. D. Roxburgh. <strong>_

_**My debut novel 'Feral' is out now, available on Kindle, iTunes, Kobo and more!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_Jane drove in a stupor, she felt numb and yet burning with a million different emotions. As she sped toward the medical school her mind raced ahead of her. She was so caught up in thoughts of him that she almost crashed into the side of another car, a blaring horn was the only thing that brought her back from the brink. She pulled over to the side of road, heart hammering in her chest after the close call. She opened her window and closed her eyes to the cool breeze filtering in. she had finally begun to relax and feel human again when the sound of her car door opening had her reaching for her gun only to grasp at the air and feel her heart be gripped by fear as she realised it was not there. She was frozen on the spot not daring to look at the person next to her. She heard the breathing low and rasping and she could almost feel his fingers running through her hair sending chills down her spine in the least pleasant way. His putrid breath ghosting over her face as he leered down at her and smiled. The scars on her hands began to throb as did her heart, now pumping adrenaline around her body at warp speed, everything slowed down and she couldn't distinguish the sounds she could hear. She felt a touch on her shoulder and she lashed out in a frenzy, hitting anything and everything she could to get this monster away from her. Vice like grips clamped down on her wrists and restrained her until she could move no more and she sobbed helplessly until time slowed again and sounds began to filter back through her ears_.

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><p>"Hey! Hey!" The voice rose above her sobs and stilled her muscles that were aching from what felt like and endless battle. She frowned through her stinging tears at the figure restraining her and something happened that hadn't happened in a very long time; Jane laughed.<p>

She laughed uncontrollably even as the figure stared at her in disbelief, she laughed even though it hurt her throat which was raw after crying. She laughed until her energy was spent and she had nothing left to give. Her body sagged into her seat and the hands around her wrists let go tentatively whilst eyes watched her carefully.

The figure let out a loud whoosh and relaxed into the passenger seat "Jesus Vanilla, you sure know how to scare a guy huh?"

Jane closed her eyes and couldn't think of any words that would serve as an explanation to Rondo, an informant and scoundrel that she had always had a bit of a soft spot for, and the affection was always reciprocated, though sometimes he tread the line between platonic and something else very warily, stumbling on occasion which Jane had always tolerated due to his usually reliable information. "I don't know about you Vanilla, but I need me a drink after that!"

Jane could do nothing but nod, the fear and shock having stolen her energy away from her. Thankfully Rondo climbed out of her car and she breathed a sigh of relief, her hands were shaking uncontrollably as well as most of the rest of her body and the thought of driving was almost as scary as the thought of what could have just happened.

Rondo sat opposite the tall beautiful brunette and watched her carefully, since they had gotten there she hadn't said a word and simply stared at her bottle of beer that she had spent more time peeling the labels off than she had drinking it. "So…" he thought carefully about which subject to broach; clearly she was in a delicate state, it unnerved him, he was used to Rizzoli being the tough no nonsense kind of woman, not this meek quiet unsure one. He thought back to what happened in the car and his heart broke a little, if only he could kill the bastard who had turned her into that. He sighed heavily, he knew just as she did how that monster wouldn't be so easy to end. He felt her chocolate eyes on him and he brought his up to meet them before pausing whilst he made his decision; better to play safe "Where you headed Vanilla?"

Jane eyed him carefully before taking a swig of her beer whilst she considered whether to reveal anything to him, and if so, what to reveal. She liked Rondo and he had been helpful in the past but how far could she trust him? "Boston University School of Medicine." Eyes bore into her own and she steadied her gaze and analysed his reaction carefully.

Rondo felt like a bug under the microscope and he couldn't help but smile, there she was. That was the Vanilla he knew and loved, always making him squirm. He nodded and paused as he chewed on his thumb. "How you plan on getting anything from them? You ain't got no badge to throw around no more."

Jane eyed him suspiciously "How do you know that?"

Rondo spread him hands out "Vanilla please, we both know you don't keep me around for just my dashing good looks."

Jane struggled to fight back the grin that was tugging at the corners of her mouth as he winked at her.

"I know everything that's worth knowing in this town…" He paused and grinned at her "Besides, if you had I woulda had a hole in my head from that piece of yours in the car." He took a deep breath and his expression grew serious, he swigged his beer for a dose of courage and fixed his gaze on those big eyes as he uttered his accusation "Like I know you're going after him again."

Jane's eyes narrowed and she could feel her back begin to prickle, ready for a fight if one more person tried to stop her.

"Vanilla what the hell you doin'? You know he gots people in his pocket." He watched as her eyes flickered from his gaze. "That's why they couldn't pin your friend on him." The tears were almost immediate and they welled up in her eyes but none ever fell.

Jane watched an awful flashback and a bang echoed through her ears and she saw the whites of Korsak's eyes as he fell to the ground.

Rondo felt a pang of guilt as he watched painful memories take a hold of Jane, he wanted to reach across and comfort her but even as the thought crossed his mind she ground her teeth together in determination and angry eyes now focused on him. "Look I ain't trying to get you off this thing, this is something you gotta do, I understand that, but Vanilla, you ain't got the resources you used to."

Jane frowned at him in confusion as her rage soothed with another sip of her beer and it sat in her stomach, rolling with the sadness and pain just waiting to be unleashed on he who had caused it all.

"You gotta think different now…" Rondo nodded at the brunette as her expression changed to one of curiosity. "Rizzoli walks into places and throws her weight around." He held up his hand as Jane opened her mouth to retort. "Rondo's girl can go in through the back, can walk around unnoticed and listen to things that no one thinks about saying. Rondo's girl can watch things that people are doing when they don't think anyone is watching."

Jane chewed her lower lip and eyed him curiously.

Rondo drained the last dregs from his beer and nodded at the brunette as he stood up from the booth they were in and held out his hand to shake. As she shook his hand he slid across the item he had sorted for her and was planning on giving her in the car. He held onto her hand a little longer and looked into her eyes in earnest before nodding again and leaving.

Jane sat for a little longer on her own, finishing her beer and didn't look at the thing until she was safely back inside her car with the doors securely locked. She looked down at it and beamed. "Rondo you are a beautiful man!" She felt a surge of excitement flood her body and she turned the car around and began driving away from the Medical school and back home; she had to change.

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><p><em><strong>Find me on social media - jdroxburgh or J. D. Roxburgh. <strong>_

_**My debut novel 'Feral' is out now, available on Kindle, iTunes, Kobo and many more!**_

_**Sorry its a bit late, hope you like it :)**_


	7. Chapter 7

_Jane sat for a little longer on her own, finishing her beer and didn't look at the thing until she was safely back inside her car with the doors securely locked. She looked down at it and beamed. "Rondo you are a beautiful man!" She felt a surge of excitement flood her body and she turned the car around and began driving away from the Medical school and back home; she had to change._

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><p>Jane tore through her wardrobe like a woman possessed, she felt revitalised like someone had given her life again, had reinstated her purpose for living and she was raring to go. Finally she found what she was looking for; a dowdy dress her Ma insisted on buying her and making her wear at horrible social occasions, usually when there was a sleazy bachelor involved. Jane shuddered at the thought of the last one, Giovanni, an old childhood…acquaintance, to say friend would have been a stretch too far, ever since he hit puberty all her memories of him involved an unusual take on kiss chase where he would always try to lick her face. Jane shook the disturbing memory off and put on the awful dress before reviewing her look in the mirror. "Ugh." It was all she could muster at the dreadful sight of herself, she had never been vain or really cared too much about her appearance, practicality had always been her thing, much to her Ma's displeasure, but even she could admit that this did not look good. She beamed; it was perfect. She raked her fingers through her unruly curls and wound them up into a bun and fastened it behind her head. She narrowed her eyes at the figure looking back at her, it would have to do, she didn't have the time or the resources she normally had to hand for going undercover. She packed a bag and headed back out to her car, <em>Here's hoping I don't bump into anyone who will recognise me.<em>

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><p>Angela emptied all of her groceries out of her various bags and began arranging them in her kitchen. She tutted and fussed around, seeming to come across the photograph at every turn, no matter where she put it, it always seemed to be in front of her. Once she had finished she huffed and picked it up again. "All right then, you have my attention…what are you trying to tell me?" she studied the face closely but came up short. "Janie is the clever one, she could tell a million things about you just by looking at this, and then a whole other set of things if she met you." Her mind started racing, maybe Janie already did know something, or think she knew something, what if this woman was part of a case? Her mind raced back to her daughter enrobed in one of those silver foil wraps. Her eyes were hollow and empty, encased by dark circles and bruises the colours of which Angela had never seen before. Angela had looked after her kids after more than their fair share of scrapes, Janie especially, she was never one to be outdone by anyone, especially boys, especially boys bigger than her. But she always came back swinging even when they beat her…but this time, this time was so different. Angela wiped away the tears that kept on falling regardless of her actions. She was so stubborn and yet she had never been the same since, Jane never came out of that basement, in a way he had always won. Angela knew that she could never let it lie but she also knew it would destroy her, even if she got him, she would have nothing left to fight for, nothing left to chase. Angela didn't know what was worse.<p>

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><p>Jane climbed out of her car warily, <em>This was his old hunting ground…this is where he became who he is.<em> That thought left a sour taste in her mouth and a cold shiver down her spine. The building was intimidating, not through any grandeur but through the sheer amount of windows, like thousands of spiders staring at her, waiting for her to move, analysing her. She felt strangely vulnerable and she wrapped her arms around her like she had an invisible cloak of protection. What sun there was bounced off the windows and blinded her, she felt unnerved; anyone could be stood behind those windows watching her and she would have no idea. _He could be here._ The thought was completely irrational, after the things he had done here he wouldn't be welcomed back with open arms, despite building up the power and reputation he had in the years following, and yet she couldn't shake the feeling that he was here, watching her. Everything about the place reeked of him somehow and she felt her scars flare up. She felt her legs wanting to give in and take her as far away as they could but she ground her teeth and with what felt like concrete blocks for her feet she made her way toward the service entrance that Rondo had told her about, making sure the plastic ID tag he had supplied her with was securely fastened on her dress.

Jane stood awkwardly as the security guard scrutinised her ID tag, she twirled a loose curl by her cheek around her finger and chewed her lip nervously, it was out of character for her to be so shy and nervous but there were several factors playing on her mind; she had no back up. No one knew she was here. She could get arrested or worse, actually she didn't know which was worse, having to go into the station and see old colleagues, people who had always wanted to see her mess up. She also didn't want her usual air of quiet arrogance to come through, the security guard needed to look at her but not see her, never to pick her face out of a crowd, otherwise her whole plan would fall apart. After what felt an age he slid the card back to her and nodded toward one of the doors down a dim corridor, she managed a small smile before shuffling off in the direction he had nodded to.

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><p>"Well I can't just sit here." Angela announced into the air around her. She had been sat for what felt like hours doing nothing, her mind swarming with thoughts and yet not a single clear one. She got up determined and clutched the photograph in her hand. "Whoever you are, however you are involved with Janie, I need to know. I need to know she's ok." The not quite truth lay on her tongue like a bitter taste and she did her best to swallow it but it simply summoned butterflies in her stomach and doubt sat in the passenger seat of her car as she drove down the street near Carlo's and kept her eyes peeled for the church he had mentioned.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Find me on social media - jdroxburgh or J. D. Roxburgh. <strong>_

_**My debut novel 'Feral' is out now, available on Kindle, iTunes, Kobo, NOOK and more! Check out my website for all links.  
><strong>_

_**Sorry its been so delayed, another chapter is in progress as this goes out :)  
><strong>_


	8. Chapter 8

Jane put her belongings in what used to be a locker and picked up the cleaning equipment that the older woman, who was watching her like a specimen under a microscope, had roughly gestured at whilst glaring at her like she had just insulted her mother. Jane tried a weak smile as she tried to squeeze past the woman who was blocking the doorway but it was met with a steely resistance.

"Si deve andare al bagno."

Jane blinked at the scarily gruff voice that came from the woman who sounded like she had eaten several ashtrays. The steely grey eyes did not waver and Jane shook her head a little. "Non ho bisogn-"

"Dio mio..." The woman uttered under her breath which basically made it sound like a low growl and Jane stared at her in bewilderment. "You, go, clean." She separated the words and made the brunette feel two inches tall.

Jane could feel her Rizzoli attitude trying to rile her into a fight but she simply threw her a meek smile and trotted off to find the bathrooms.

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><p>"Father." Angela greeted the priest as he welcomed her in warmly.<p>

"My child, what can I do for you?"

Angela bounced lightly on the balls of her feet nervously and began to turn back to the exit as nerves got the better of her.

"Come. Something is troubling you."

His voice was so kind and soothing that Angela struggled against it and found herself sinking to a pew against her own will. He sat next to her and looked at her with such kindness that Angela felt betrayal nagging away at her and against all of her principles she did something she never thought she would ever do…

She lied.

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><p>Jane scrubbed at the porcelain and grunted her dissatisfaction under her breath as she felt those cold eyes boring into her back.<p>

"Sbrigati!"

Jane bit her retort back and scrubbed harder envisioning that wrinkled scowling face as she did so. _It's going to be worth it Rizzoli, keep going. Just think about the end game. Think of him. _That last thought spurred her on even more and before she knew it the entire bathroom was sparkling. She turned to her watcher with a proud smile only for it to fade as the older woman looked at her watch and gestured at her to move again.

The brunette followed the woman through what felt like endless corridors and felt her heart sinking as she wondered just how many bathrooms she was going to have to clean before this woman left her alone. Her spirits lifted however as they walked past a door with a window made of clouded glass and a plate screwed into the wood with a word that gleamed out at her as if it were made of diamonds; Files.

She followed the woman keeping track of every turn they took. Left, down the corridor, second right and left once more. The woman opened the door in front of them and Jane's stomach did a somersault as smells confronted her and nausea rose up the back of her throat.

The older woman stared at her with a challenge in her eyes and a smug smile on her lips. Jane steeled herself and inhaled deeply as she stared right back into that gaze and held back a smile as the woman softened her stance and nodded at her. Jane stepped into the room and felt a wave of relief wash over her as she heard the door close behind her.

"Alone at last." Jane carried her equipment over to the work benches that were splattered with dried blood and various other stains. She pulled on her protective gloves and set to work at a blistering pace; she didn't know when her keeper would be back, how long of her shift she had left, nor whether she would get this opportunity again. Jane Rizzoli cleaned as if her life depended on it.

* * *

><p>"I am looking for a friend of my daughter's." Angela swallowed hard. "I know she used to come here, but I lost touch with her mother and now…" she avoided his kind gaze "We just want to reconnect but I can't seem to find her at all." She pulled the photo out of her bag and looked at it with shaking hands praying to God for forgiveness in deceiving his son and servant in such a way.<p>

The priest took the photo off her and smiled immediately as he recognised the eyes that looked back at him. Even if it had been a photo of just those hazel eyes he would have known who it was immediately. "Maura." He smiled fondly as he thought of the gentle kind soul he had gotten to know.

"Maura… yes." Angela rolled the name around her mouth and found it strangely comforting.

"Such a kind soul, of course you know this." He frowned at her as she looked lost and confused. "Are you all right…um…" he floundered as he grasped for a name.

"Angela please." The last thing she wanted was to give her surname, even if the priest said she was kind, who knows what she was involved in and why Janie was looking for her.

He smiled as he handed her the photograph "Angela, yes I see Maura regularly, well not as much as I would like. She usually comes here on Sundays, you should come tomorrow, I would be surprised if we didn't see her."

Angela nodded nervously "Yes I will…I must go…I'm sorry."

He watched as the brunette hurriedly got up and left clutching the photo as if she were scared to lose it. He made his way to the telephone and flicked through his book of numbers looking for her name. "Hello, is Maura there please?"

* * *

><p>Jane finished the room in record time, opened the door and craned her neck around to look up and down the corridor. It was clear. She took off her clunky shoes and slid down the corridor silently. Right turn, left, down the corridor and there it was. Files. Jane held her breath as she turned the handle, closed her eyes and pushed. Locked. "Of course it's locked Rizzoli, what are you stupid?" she hissed to herself before reaching behind her head and pulling out two of the many pins holding her unruly curls in place.<p>

The brunette quickly bent the pins, one in an L shape, the other in a large V shape and bent down toward the lock, keeping her ears strained for any noise coming her way. The L shaped one she inserted into the lock with the hooped end first and lightly pressed against the bent ends sticking out of the lock. With one end of the other pin she inserted it above the other pin and began to scrub over the pins inside the lock from the inside to the outside before turning the L shaped one gently and slowly. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in a whoosh as the lock clicked and the handle turned. "Rondo would be proud Rizzoli." She whispered to herself before stepping into the room and gently closing the door behind her with a soft click. "Now…where to start…"

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><p><em><strong>I do not know Italian so the web was all i had, i'm so sorry if its all rubbish! Also I have never picked a lock and online vids were my only resource so I hope you can take these things with a pinch of salt :)<br>**_

_**Enjoy!**_

_**Find me on social media - jdroxburgh or J. D. Roxburgh. **_

_**My debut novel 'Feral' is out now, available on Kindle, iTunes, Kobo, NOOK and more! Check out my website for all links.**_


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